Exterior front panel assembly for accommodating and strengthening a computer card assembly

Abstract

The present invention is related to a Compact Peripheral Component Interconnect (cPCI) front panel assembly that is adapted to keep its corresponding cPCI front card's printed circuit board from bending. The cPCI front panel assembly should make its corresponding printed circuit board stronger to prevent circuit board damage and to maintain the cPCI front card envelope standard even before the card is inserted into the card slot. The front panel assembly should be stronger than its corresponding cPCI front card's circuit board. The front panel couples its stronger strength with its weaker circuit board. In addition, the front panel assembly prevents the bending of its corresponding circuit board at the upper, middle, and lower portions. The present invention provides the important advantage of protecting the cPCI front card even before the card is inserted into a card cage.

1. A front panel assembly for a printed circuit board of a Compact Peripheral Component Interconnect (cPCI) front card, said front panel assembly comprising:
 a front panel having a first end and a second end;  
 a first handle connected with said first end;  
 a second handle connected with said second end;  
 a first board retainer portion for attaching with an upper portion of the circuit board, said first board retainer portion is located on said first handle;  
 a second board retainer portion for attaching with a lower portion of the circuit board, said second board retainer portion is located on said second handle; and  
 a board bracket located around a middle portion of said front panel, said board bracket has an anchor portion and an extended portion for attaching with a middle portion of the circuit board;  
 wherein said front panel has a slot located around said middle portion of said front panel, wherein said slot is dimensioned for press fitting with said anchor portion of said board bracket, wherein said board bracket is attached to said front panel by press fitting said anchor portion into said slot, and wherein said anchor portion and said extended portion are located on opposite ends of said board bracket.  
 
   
   
     2. The front panel assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said front panel further comprises a right side and a left side, and wherein said left side has a side slot. 
   
   
     3. The front panel assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising a electric/magnetic interference (EMI) shield located on said right side of said front panel. 
   
   
     4. The front panel assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said board bracket is positioned about 3.7 mm away from said left side of said front panel, said left side contacting a back face of the front card's circuit board after the circuit board has been attached to said front panel. 
   
   
     5. The front panel assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said front panel is comprised of extruded aluminum. 
   
   
     6. The front panel assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a silkscreen on a front face of said front panel. 
   
   
     7. The front panel assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an electronic connection portion having an electrical connector for making an electronic connection with the circuit board. 
   
   
     8. The front panel assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said electrical connector is comprised of a three position electrical connector. 
   
   
     9. The front panel assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said slot has a rectangular shape. 
   
   
     10. The front panel assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said slot is positioned below said middle portion of said front panel. 
   
   
     11. The front panel assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said front panel has a dimension of about 20.3 mm by about 240.4 mm. 
   
   
     12. The front panel assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said slot is positioned about 103.23 mm above said second end of said front panel. 
   
   
     13. The front panel assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said board bracket is comprised of steel. 
   
   
     14. The front panel assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said extended portion has a screw hole for insertion by a board retainer screw. 
   
   
     15. The front panel assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the middle portion of the circuit board is attached to said board bracket by inserting said board retainer screw into said screw hole and a clearance hole on the middle portion of the circuit board. 
   
   
     16. The front panel assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said board retainer screw is comprised of a M3×6 mm pan slot screw and wherein said screw hole is threaded. 
   
   
     17. A front panel assembly for a printed circuit board of a Compact Peripheral Component Interconnect (cPCI) front card, said front panel assembly comprising:
 a front panel having a first end, a second end, and a middle portion;  
 said first end comprising first attachment means for attaching said first end with an upper portion of the circuit board;  
 said second end comprising second attachment means for attaching said second end with a lower portion of the circuit board;  
 a board bracket comprising third attachment means for attaching said board bracket with said front panel;  
 said board bracket having an extended portion and an anchor portion; and  
 said extended portion comprising fourth attachment means for attaching said extended portion with a middle portion of the front card's circuit board;  
 wherein said extended portion and said anchor portion are located on opposite ends of said board bracket, wherein said front panel is stronger than the printed circuit board, wherein said front panel has a rectangular shaped slot located below said middle portion of said front panel, wherein said third attachment means comprise press fitting said anchor portion into said rectangular shaped slot, wherein said extended portion has a screw hole for insertion by a board retainer screw, and wherein said fourth attachment means comprise inserting said board retainer screw into said screw hole and a clearance hole on the middle portion of the circuit board.  
 
   
   
     18. The front panel assembly of  claim 17 , wherein said front panel further comprises a right side and a left side, and wherein said left side has a side slot. 
   
   
     19. The front panel assembly of  claim 18 , further comprising a electric/magnetic interference (EMI) shield located on said right side of said front panel. 
   
   
     20. The front panel assembly of  claim 19 , further comprising an electronic connection portion having means for making an electronic connection with the printed circuit board.